Smashbomb

Are you a fan of Middle Grade and/or historical fiction? If so, you have got to check out BLUE SKIES by Anne Bustard! This is one book you won't want to miss. As a bonus, I've also got a playlist for the book on my blog, and you can enter the #GIVEAWAY to #win your own signed copy - three winners! https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/03/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-blue-skies.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
Ten-year-old Glory Bea Bennett believes in miracles. After all, her grandmother—the best matchmaker in the whole county—is responsible for thirty-nine of them so far.

Now, Glory Bea wants a miracle of her own—her daddy’s return.

The war ended three years ago, but Glory Bea’s father never returned from the front in France. She believes Daddy is still out there.

When reports that the Texas boxcar from the Merci Train—a train filled with gifts of gratitude from the people of France—will be stopping in Gladiola, Glory Bea just knows Daddy will be its surprise cargo.

But miracles, like people, are always changing, until at last they find their way home.

Kudos Comment

Vegas (725 KP) rated Stan & Ollie (2018) in Movies

Mar 21, 2020

Stan & Ollie (2018)

2018 | Biography, Comedy, Drama

8.0

(30 Ratings)

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The portrayal of Stan and Ollie (0 more)

Not a real feel good film considering the subject. (0 more)

Great portrayal of two greats

Coogan and Reilly star as the legendary double act, both actors must has spent hours perfecting Laurel and Hardys mannerisms, speech and comic timing as their portrayal of their respective characters are spot on...

This is the story of the latter part of their career, on a tour of the UK with the possibility of a new film as a dangling carrot to perform...

The comic routines during the stage parts of the film are almost as well performed as the real thing, yet coupled with the humour, is an underlying sadness of two stars trying to regain what they once had, and it's this that stops it being a feel good film as it is quite moving and sad if you are a fan of the duo...

It is interesting to see how their relationship is strained at times yet in spite of that how much they obviously cared for each other...

I don't know if the stars won any awards for their playing of Stan & Ollie, but if they didn't, they should have...

Kudos

Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Lion King (2019) in Movies

Aug 2, 2019 (Updated Aug 2, 2019)

The Lion King (2019)

2019 | Adventure, Animation, Family

7.1

(82 Ratings)

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An animation tour de force (0 more)

Lacks the emotion of the original (0 more)

"Gorgeously Pointless" sums this up for me. In general I find the Disney live action remakes pretty pointless. Why try, other than to fill Disney coffers? (Which I guess is the producer’s point!) And my opinion hasn’t changed after this. I still think its a rather pointless exercise, particularly in this case where there is no human cast.

With these things, I always think of Jim Carrey‘s cry at the end of his version of “I am the Walrus”. He screams “There, I did it. I defiled a timeless piece of art”. Jon Favreau can at least sleep happy (sic) in his bed content that he hasn’t managed to do that. I can’t say I was horrified by this one, because I wasn’t. It was majestic, entertaining, technically superb and certainly had its moments.

The acid test for me would be “would I go and see that again”. And in this case the answer would be “yes”.

For my full graphical review, please visit https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2019/08/02/one-manns-movies-film-review-the-lion-king-2019/.

Kudos

Sarah (7798 KP) Aug 2, 2019

Gorgeously pointless is definitely spot on with this!

Kudos

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Apr 23, 2020

"I feel that For Spacious Skies is the ultimate girl power book."

Come read my review for the children's picture book biography FOR SPACIOUS SKIES by Nancy Churnin. "If you're looking for a book with a strong female and beautiful illustrations, pick up a copy of For Spacious Skies," or you can enter the #GIVEAWAY to #win your own signed copy of the book as well as Beautiful Shades of Brown by Nancy Churnin!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-for.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
As a little girl growing up during the Civil War, Katharine Lee Bates grew up to become a poet, professor, and social activist. She not only wrote “America the Beautiful" but gave this anthem to America as a gift. A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a suffragist who stood up for a woman’s right to vote and lived to cast her ballot in presidential elections, Katharine believed in the power of words to make a difference. In "America the Beautiful," her vision of the nation as a great family, united from sea to shining sea, continues to uplift and inspire us all.